Research: TV and film boosts hospitality industry
October 31, 2023
Research conducted by the Motion Picture Licensing Company (MPLC), the UK’s leading licensor of ‘blanket’ public performance rights for TV shows and films, reveals that Brits love to watch TV and films when they’re out on the town.
By way of background, in October 2022, more than a third of UK hospitality businesses said they were on the brink of closure. One year on, with ever rising bills combined with the cost of living crisis, it’s become clear that getting people through the door is key to staying afloat. And that’s where MPLC’s research comes in, because it indicates, first, that 70 per cent of Brits choose to visit a venue specifically because it displays TV and film, and second, that showing TV and film content is a key ingredient of success in the hospitality industry. In fact, 82 per cent of business owners in hospitality say that showing TV and film content has increased footfall and 87 per cent say that it has increased sales.
Almost two-thirds of Brits watch TV and film in public venues, rising to 84 per cent in those aged under 45. When it comes to choosing between TV and film, 65 per cent have watched films compared with 54 per cent who have watched TV in public spaces.
When asked what type of TV and film people like to consume in public venues, some of the most popular film genres were Action (55 per cent), Comedy (52 per cent), Drama (42 per cent) and Fantasy and Animation (32 per cent). So, the research would suggest high action, drama or laughs are the key to success for public viewing content and Brits would prefer to cuddle up in front of a rom-com in the privacy of their own home.
In terms of TV content, it’s no surprise that sports and news are the most common publicly shown content. However, the data also found that Brits love to watch music videos / channels (33 per cent), reality TV (32 per cent) and quiz shows too (32 per cent).
Hotels hit the top spot when it comes to the most popular public venue for watching TV and film (47 per cent) followed by bars (36 per cent), pubs (32 per cent) and the gym (22 per cent). However, the gym is the go-to venue for people who watch TV or Films in public daily as it rises to 40 per cent. Could TV and film help transform Brits from couch potatoes too?
Interestingly, three quarters of Brits (75 per cent) who view TV and film publicly believe it has a positive impact on their overall experience – again, increasing to 83 per cent in 25-34 year olds. Plus, over a third of Brits (37 per cent) would be more likely to visit a venue again if it shows TV and film, significantly higher in 25-34 year olds (62 per cent).
When asked why people like to watch TV and film publicly, almost half (46 per cent) of Brits said they like to enjoy a shared experience with friends or family, whilst almost a third (32 per cent) said they like to experience content in a more immersive or exciting atmosphere than at home or to escape their daily routine (31 per cent).
In terms of the benefits of watching TV and film publicly, 38 per cent believe it helps them to connect with those around them and over a quarter (29 per cent) believe it provides relief from anxiety or discomfort.
Discussing the insights from the data, Rory Shedden, CEO at MPLC commented: “The UK hospitality industry is facing numerous difficult challenges at the moment. While showing TV and film cannot solve all of these, the data certainly shows that entertainment and hospitality go hand and hand and TV and film content can be key differentiators in a competitive market. Interestingly, our research also found that it’s important to most consumers (66 per cent) that venues are showing content compliantly and what many people don’t know is that a big proportion of our licence fees go back into the content creators, funding the next generation of content, so it’s win-win for everyone. It’s been some time since the pandemic but what we are seeing are the long-lasting impacts of changes to social behaviours. People want an excuse to come together and share experiences and watching their favourite teams, TV shows or films together seems like an ideal answer – particularly with the younger generation”.